Destiny Village ~ Library

[Persephone]

"Oh. I forgot that I can't read." She laughed, but what else was she supposed to do. "No follow-up questions? I'd be happy to answer them."

She'd be happy if he didn't leave right now.

 

[Shiny Phantump]

“Oh, you would?” Celeste had assumed the terse answer was his cue to leave.

“How did they get to the moon? Why did they want to make lightning? Did humans do these things just for fulfilment?”

 

[Persephone]

"We built giant metal tubes that shot attacks out the back, launching them up in to the air." Or something like that. Cuicatl wasn't a rocket scientist. "And they took us all the way to the moon. And everything runs on lightning. Our communicators, the heating and cooling of homes, lights to let people see things at night, some medicine... the list goes on. Pretty much everything. So we did that because it was useful to everyone." And because Americans treat the people who sell modern things as gods, but that's another story. "We sent people to the moon because there were two groups of humans who insisted they were better than the other, so they decided to figure out who was better by seeing which could get to the moon first. I'm not sure why they picked that challenge, but they did."

 

[Shiny Phantump]

“Huh. Does that make electric puh-pokémon the strongest where you are?” The otherworldly name for the species he knew from his world still sounded odd to Celeste, but he figured that he’d best get used to it.

The story of the groups of humans intrigued him. “Two groups of humans who each thought they were better than each other sounds like the basis for an interesting story.”

 

[Persephone]

"Dragons are still the strongest. That's probably true in any universe." She paused. Ah, screw it. Not even going to pretty this one up. "It is, I guess. Both sides built massive, apocalyptic weapons so that they could end all life in the other. Except they couldn't fight because starting a war meant that they'd get annihilated, too. So they competed in other ways, like going to the Moon, that wouldn't destroy everyone."

 

[Shiny Phantump]

A weapon of a scale that could wipe out human life? Celeste thought for a moment...

“Say... If one of those weapons were to be set off... What would it look like? Could it, perhaps, be described as a light that burned the very sky itself?”

 

[Persephone]

"I've never seen an image, but that does sound about right, yeah."

 

[Shiny Phantump]

“That might explain where all the humans in my world went, then. The assumption in my world is that it must have been Arceus’ Judgment, but if humans have weapons as powerful as that... Well, that could also have been it. Makes more sense than Arceus’ involvement.”

 

[Persephone]

“Well, it could’ve been... the priests think my world will end in a few years, and I believe it. Lots of gods and monsters destroying stuff, usually after humans asked them to. We polluted the environment badly enough that whole species of Pokémon are dying, and humans will follow sooner or later. Maybe it will be a god, or pollution, or our own weapons. But it will end, sooner rather than later.”

She paused.

“Sorry if I’m making you think less of humans, but I always thought pokémon were better myself.”

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Celeste stopped to think.

“Well, my world hasn’t ended. It just... doesn’t have humans anymore. Fortunately for us, they didn’t drive us to extinction first before following along themselves. One day, they just... weren’t there anymore.

 

[Persephone]

“Hmm. Maybe gentler than we deserved, but I’m glad no one else had to pay for it.”

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Celeste looked at her with concern, although it wasn’t as if she could see that. Fortunately, his concern was also audible in his voice.

“It can’t be what you all deserve. I’ve met plenty of humans here who deserve better than to be wiped out.” That includes you, he wanted to add... but he felt Cuicatl would argue back. On the other hand, if he said nothing, she could take it as an indirect admission that he thought she didn’t deserve better. “I’m glad you’re here, for one.”

 

[Persephone]

"Thank you." She didn't really know what to do with that. It made her uncomfortable enough that she wanted to leave. "I'll leave you to your reading, then."

 

[Shiny Phantump]

“Well, then. Have a nice day, Cuicatl.” Celeste said.

He began to browse for a book that interested him.

<><><><><>

 

[SparklingEspeon]

Tricky had never been one for reading much, Truth be told, she wasn't even sure if she could read some of the stuff that was written here. This place looked old.

And yet, she found herself here anyway. Maybe it was because she thought she'd find something that could help her get a grip on what was going on. Or maybe she'd just gotten lost here and didn't want to admit it. (It was probably that one.) Either way, she was here now. Just standing there and looking up at the building--as pretty as it was--was pretty awkward.

 

[Ambyssin]

Bahamut's efforts at contacting people via badge failed. Perhaps they were offline after the whole fiasco with Maple getting impersonated? Regardless, that meant he'd need to change up his strategy. Bahamut decided to find a book at the library that would have pictures of Kyurem and Yveltal. At least then he could check the books out and take them with him. Even if they wouldn't necessarily tell him where to find these two.

As the necrozma approached the library he slowed up. That space cadet of a kit was standing in front of it. Wonderful. Well, she hadn't exactly been paying attention to everything that had happened. Right. Politeness time.

"You didn't strike me as the type to enjoy reading."

"Smooth move, exlax."

Be silent.

 

[SparklingEspeon]

Tricky hadn't noticed Bahamut approaching--she jumped at the sound of his voice. What was he doing here?? ...On second thought, it made sense. He was way too old, so of course he'd be into reading. That was what happened when you got older.

"I..." Tricky definitely wasn't going to admit she'd gotten lost and stumbled here by accident. "I thought I would give it a try! What about you? I don't think I've ever seen you with a book before."

 

[Ambyssin]

"I'm here to find out what Kyurem and Yveltal look like," Bahamut replied. "Surely there's a book or two here with information about them. They don't exist where I'm from."

 

[SparklingEspeon]

Huh, that was quick. Tricky had been expecting some kind of non-answer or jab, like Darkwhite would have given. Maybe she was just too used to talking to people like Darkwhite.

...W-wait! If he was about to go inside, then she was just going to be standing here aimlessly again! She had to keep up with him somehow.

"Want some help looking?" she asked. "That library looks big. Two pokemon can find something faster than one!"

 

[Ambyssin]

Bahamut had no eyelids to blink in confusion with. Did this child... not know how libraries worked? "They have librarians there. You know... people working there who know where to find the books you're looking for?" He hunched down. "Have you ever been to a library before?"